April 7, 2010

He was in his fifth start for the Knights and was pitching close to home at the Norfolk (Va.) Tides’ home field, Harbor Park. About 80 family members were there to watch him.

Hudson was removed early from the game. He was miffed.

“I pitched three innings. I had only given up one hit and (Knights pitching coach Rich) Dotson told me they were taking me out of the game. He said I shouldn’t have walked that batter with two outs,” Hudson laughed about it Tuesday. …

August 28, 2009

The minor league season is winding down, but Wagner will at least get a taste of full-season Class A ball in the South Atlantic League. Kannapolis, which is rolling and looks like a lock to qualify for the SAL playoffs, is on the road the rest of this month and finishes the regular season at home from Sept. 1-7. Wagner, 21, is a left-handed swinging second baseman who was batting .258 with one homer, 10 doubles, 11 steals and 26 RBIs in 56 games at rookie-level Bristol. He’s impressed some people and has been told by the White Sox he’ll be part of their instructional league in Arizona this fall.

July 27, 2009

South Rowan graduate Daniel Wagner turned 21 two weeks ago doing exactly what he always wanted to be doing when he turned 21 — playing pro baseball. Wagner, a left-handed hitting second baseman, was a 16th-round draft pick by the Chicago White Sox last month. He agreed to a contract as soon as he could find a pen and was assigned to the Bristol (Va.) Sox of the Appalachian League.The Appy League has been around since 1937, and the bus trips through the mountains have changed little since Franklin Roosevelt was in office. …